Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
It is the principal wintering ground for the rare whooping crane and also attracts almost 400 species of other waterfowl and other birds, who vary with the seasons—especially geese, ducks, pelicans, herons, egrets, gulls, sundial cranes, roseate spoonbills, ibises, quail, osprey, a variety of migrating songbirds, and various shorebirds. Deer, javelinas (peccaries), armadillos, alligators, and turkeys are also abundant.
Bird-watching is the primary recreational activity. Although much of the refuge is closed to visitors, available facilities include an observation tower, an automobile touring road, a wildlife education center, and some hiking trails. The refuge was established in 1937 by presidential executive order to save the whooping cranes, then faced with extinction. The refuge’s resources are still largely devoted to this purpose, and Aransas has helped boost the species’ population. Headquarters are in Austwell.
Whooping Crane
Named for its whooping sound, the whooping crane is the tallest North American bird. It is an endangered crane species. Along with the sandhill crane, it is one of only two crane species native to North America. The whooping crane’s lifespan is estimated to be 22 to 24 years in the wild.
After being pushed to the brink of extinction by unregulated hunting and loss of habitat to just 21 wild and two captive whooping cranes by 1941, conservation efforts have led to a limited recovery. The total number of cranes in the surviving migratory population, plus three reintroduced flocks and in captivity, now exceeds 800 birds.
The best time of year to see Whooping Cranes is from December to February, though they typically begin arriving by mid-October and leave mid-April. Watch for them feeding in the refuge’s marshes during daylight hours. Visitors can also enjoy seeing the birds from boat tours offered by private operators.
Photography Recommendation
If you are wanting to photography the Whooping Cranes and other shorebirds I recommend taking a commercial tour by boat into the refuge. While there is the chance to see them anywhere in the area the tour operators know where the birds are and stand a good chance of getting you close enough for good photos.
Where it is:
Directions
From the South: Follow Highway 35N to the FM 774 exit. Turn right on FM 774 and go approximately 6 miles, winding through the farm fields. Turn right again on FM 2040. Drive another 6 miles to the Refuge gate. Go to the Visitor Contact Station to register.
From the North: Travel south on Hwy 35 to Tivoli. Continue past Tivoli approximately 1 mile to the FM 239 exit (on your left). Follow FM 239 to Austwell. Upon entering Austwell, FM 239 turns into FM 774 at the curve. Continue on FM 774. Follow 774 and take a right at the stop sign. At the end of the street, take a right again. As you exit Austwell, drive ½ mile to the FM 2040 intersection. Turn left on FM 2040 and drive 6 miles to the Refuge gate. Go to the Visitor Contact Station to register.
Maps:
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, click and drag the to move the map, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view.
GPS:
28.313449,-96.804022
The Brown Pelican is a comically elegant bird with an oversized bill, sinuous neck, and big, dark body. Squadrons glide above the surf along southern and western coasts, rising and falling in a graceful echo of the waves. They feed by plunge-diving from high up, using the force of impact to stun small fish before scooping them up. They are fairly common today—an excellent example of a species’ recovery from pesticide pollution that once placed them at the brink of extinction.
Cost:
General Entrance Fees
18 years and under, entrance is free
$3 – one adult in a vehicle
$5 – two or more adults in a vehicle
$25 – commercial vehicle (van or bus) with up to 20 people
$50 – commercial vehicle with 21 or more people
Entrance is free to the Aransas Refuge with the following federal park passports:
Aransas Annual Pass
Federal Duck Stamp
Federal Duck Stamp
Annual Pass for Active Military
Senior Pass
Access Pass
“Every Kid in a Park” 4th Grade Annual Pass
A boldly patterned shorebird with red-yellow eyes and a vivid red-orange bill, American Oystercatchers survive almost exclusively on shellfish—clams, oysters, and other saltwater molluscs. Because of this specialized diet, oystercatchers live only in a narrow ecological zone of saltmarshes and barrier beaches. Along much of the Pacific Coast they are replaced by the similar but all-dark Black Oystercatcher.
Hours:
Auto tour and trails are open daily from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset.
Visitor Center:
October 15-April 14: 9 am – 4 pm daily
April 15-October 14: 9 am – 4 pm Wednesday – Sunday (Closed Monday-Tuesday)
Closed for all Federal Holidays
Unique among North American raptors for its diet of live fish and ability to dive into water to catch them, Ospreys are common sights soaring over shorelines, patrolling waterways, and standing on their huge stick nests, white heads gleaming. These large, rangy hawks do well around humans and have rebounded in numbers following the ban on the pesticide DDT. Hunting Ospreys are a picture of concentration, diving with feet outstretched and yellow eyes sighting straight along their talons.
Public restrooms are available at the visitor parking lot, picnic area, and observation tower. There are no food or drinks available at the refuge.
Information on Nearby Lodging and Businesses
Rockport Chamber of Commerce
Port Lavaca Chamber of Commerce
In the stately and dignified world of herons, Reddish Egrets are the swashbuckling cousins. These big, cinnamon and steely gray birds put on a show as they forage in shallow saltwater. They race back and forth, open and shut their wings, stir up sediment with their feet, and even swoop low over the water in flight—all in pursuit of small fish. Reddish Egrets also have a rarer, all-white plumage or “morph.” In any plumage, the two-toned bill and shaggy head and neck feathers give them a distinctive look.
Aransas National Wildlife Refuge Photo Gallery
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More Photographic Destinations in Texas
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Great Places for Great Photos
Let me help you to find a great location for your next photography adventure. I will list many lesser-known destinations, as well as the famous "Icon Locations" for photography. I will provide photos (Lots of Photos), location information, consisting of what there is to photograph as well as other information about the destination. I will give costs, maps, directions, contact information, and other essential information for a successful photo trip. I will only post for locations that I have personally photographed to ensure a quality guide to great locations for photography. If you know of great places that are not posted, please send me the details, I may just decide that is a place I need to go!
Greg Disch is a freelance photographer located in Arkansas. Greg specializes in nature, scenic, wildlife, and other outdoor subjects in Arkansas and other areas of the country. Most of the images on this site are available for sale as prints, personal use, or rights managed stock photos.
Greg offers both classroom instruction and in the field hands on photographic workshops. Classroom sessions are normally held in Fort Smith Arkansas, but arrangements can be made to bring a class to your group.
All classes and workshops have small class sizes designed to provide an optimum student to instructor ratio, where you can get the personal attention, you need. Most classes and workshops are limited to a maximum of six participants and will be held with a minimum of only two.
If you are looking for a wonderful opportunity to get personal individual instruction, I do private workshops and classes at a location of your choice, whether doing a location photo shoot, coming to your home or business, traveling across the country on a road trip, or at my classroom. This is a fantastic way to learn digital workflow and be sure that your computer equipment is properly configured for optimum performance.
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